“Distracted driving refers to any nondriving activity that takes motorists ' attention away from the safe operation of their vehicles” (Leone). Every time a driver gets in a vehicle and decides to use a cell phone to have a conversation, either talking or texting, they put themselves and others lives in danger. The convenience a cell phone and the capabilities they offer have made them a substantial distraction and a cause of significant source of vehicle accidents and fatalities. There are three different types of distractions: visual, manual and cognitive. Cell phone use is the most dangerous distraction because it involves all three different types of distraction and plays a part in the increasing issue of distracted driving. Even …show more content…
“The reaction time of a distracted cell phone driver is more than 40% than those of an undistracted driver” (Hague). Is the use of a cell phone worth the risk on the roadway? Cell phones have become an integral part of our daily life. With the increase of technology of cell phones, it makes our daily lives easier and more efficient. Multitasking results in those tasks competing for the driver’s attention, diverting the driver’s attention away from the roadway. The use of cell phones of any kind impairs a driver’s decision-making ability. The driver’s attention and their ability to process anything besides driving are suppressed. Their mind is divided as soon as their attention is focused on the obsession of their cell phone rather than the road. Cell phone drivers are stretched beyond safe limits when multitasking of driving and talking or texting with a cell phone which then becomes unsafe. Most drivers over-estimate their capability to safely multitask and assuming they have this ability is a hazard. Is it really worth it to endanger yourself or others while driving with a cell phone? Some people don 't realize the danger of this until something happens to them, a family member, or friend of theirs. The evolution of the cell phone and their multiple capabilities has led to distractive driving that
Although cellphone use can provide drivers with various benefits, such as optimized commute time, navigation, and entertainment, the risks far outweigh any perceived advantages. Acts of multitasking, such as texting while driving, divides a person’s attention (Konig et al., 2005). This places substantial demand on a person’s restricted cognitive resources (Konig et al., 2005). For example, 14% of all American adults say they’ve physically bumped into another person or an object because talking or texting on their phone distracted them (Madden & Rainie, 2010). This shows that being engrossed by ones cellphone can affect even automatic processes like walking. As
There are both cognitive and physical factors that contribute to accidents when drivers talk on their cell phones and/or text behind the wheel. The primary cognitive factor is that an individual’s attention is divided when he or she is paying attention to more than one thing at a time (Goldstein, 2011). For example, a driver’s attention is on the road and perhaps how far the car ahead of him/her is, but at the same time is also trying to read a text message on a cellular device. This divided attention reduces the reaction speed and driving performance of the driver because there are not as many cognitive resources available to focus his/her attention on the most important thing: driving. When the driver is processing
Distracted driving is becoming the one of the highest causes of fatal accidents in youth. People are becoming more and more dependent on their mobile phones due to the economic and social benefits they provide. With advancement of technology and the more widespread use of smartphones distracted driving is become more dangerous than driving impaired. Driving itself needs full focus and attention with new technologies more focused on making mobile phones more easily compatible with cars it has become increasingly difficult to eliminate the problem cell phones and mobile phones cause when linked to each other. Studies show those using mobile devices while driving are 4-6 times more likely to get into a accident, With the risk so high many cell phone use while driving has been banned in many different countries around the world(fatal distractions). The second alternative is hands-free devices allowing drivers to accept calls, compile and send text messages with ought the use of hands, but using a mobile phone whether it be hands-free or not still hinders performance and deviates the focus of the driver. Car companies have recently countered this issue by implementing new technology in vehicles. For instance, cars now come equipped with built in blue tooth and exceptional pairing applications. This technology leads to inconclusive results of using a hand-held device.
The amount of car accidents that happen each year continue to increase. This continues to happen because of the number of people who consistently drive distracted everyday. This is due to a surplus of reasons, however, many fall subject to driving distracted because they prioritize their cell phones more than what is happening on the road in front of them.
1). Texting and using a cell phone are the two most common distractions while driving (“Distracted” para. 1). It Can Wait campaign has started to stop drivers from using handheld devices (“Distracted” para. 3). Distractions affect one’s driving performance (“Distracted” para. 5). Drivers are distracted around half the time they drive (“Distracted” para. 5).15% to 25% of crashes on all levels are caused by distraction (“Distracted” para. 5). Texting increases the driving risk, even more than regular cell phone use (“Distracted” para. 5). When cops fill out crash reports, the states should keep track of them (“Distracted” para. 6). There are many distraction while driving that may cause the driver to take focus off the road (“Distracted” para. 8). Some distraction that everyone does is : changing the radio or a CD, talking to passenger, and observing the event outside the vehicle (Distracted para. 8). There are effects on telematics on driving behaviors (“Distracted” para. 9). Some say that the electronic device companies need to inform the public about the real use of these devices (“Distracted” para.
The use of pulling a phone out while driving , particularly for texting and during phone to ear conversations , cause visual , manual and cognitive distraction (Thompson 4 ). When drivers pull out their phones they are taking more than 50% of their attention away from the roads, for example some
With new technology being introduced on almost a daily basis, it needs to be decided what ways are safe to use that technology. Advanced technology has created an abundance of things that can be used while driving. The most popular technology used while driving is the cell phone. Although it was invented in the 1970s, the cell phone did not gain momentum until the 2000s. Even during its first days, the effect of a cell phone distraction was already in the spotlight (Brown, Tickner & Simmonds, 1969). Allowing people to talk wherever and whenever, it became important to ensure this technology was not harming society. Driving is a complex cognitive task. Since its use boomed in the 21st century, several road problems and accidents were linked
Improvements in vehicle safety are a huge public health concern that impacts every individual behind the wheel of a vehicle. New technology systems developing are increasing the risk of injury in motor vehicles across the United States. Drivers are becoming more focused on the gadgets and multiple distractions in the vehicle, rather than the driving itself. Distracted driving can be considered as eating, using a phone, talking to peers, smoking, or any activity that requires a person’s attention while driving. The most prevalent distraction is the use of cell phones and electronic devices. According to James & Joseph Bernstein, “the impairments associated with using a cell phone behind the wheel are on par with those of drunk driving, and the US National Safety Council has implicated device usage in 26% of all vehicular crashes” (Bernstein & Bernstein, 2015). Distracted driving can be difficult to decipher what is considered a distraction while on the road.
In 2009, 5,474 people were killed on U.S. roadways and an estimated additional 448,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes that were reported to have involved distracted driving (FARS and GES). Of those people killed in distracted-driving-related crashes, 995 involved reports of a cell phone as a distraction (18% of fatalities in distraction-related crashes). Of those injured in distracted-driving-related crashes, 24,000 involved reports of a cell phone as a distraction (5% of injured people in distraction-related crashes). Sixteen percent of fatal crashes in 2009 involved reports of distracted driving. Twenty
Therefore, we want to inform you about three deadly distractions found with cell phone use. One article (CDC et al., 2015), explains in simple terms, “There are three main types of distraction; visual, (taking your eyes off the road), manual, (taking your hands off the wheel), and cognitive, (taking your mind off of driving).” (para. 1). There are six variables with cell phone driving behaviors; all of which have a bleak end. According to researchers and predictors of distracted cell phone driving, Tian and Robinson (2016), “The data suggest that the attitude variable predicted intention to engage in all six distracted driving behaviors (reading and sending text message, making and answering cell phone calls, reading/viewing social media), and posting on social media while driving.” (para. 1). These behavior variables can lead to unsafe driving. Moreover, the law would be enforced on DWD violators.
Using a cell phone while driving has become the biggest manual distraction while driving. According to a study, conducted by The University of Utah (2013),
Studies conducted from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows that using a cell phone while driving significantly impairs a driver’s reaction time and triples the risk of being involved in a crash or near-crash, and text messaging increases crash risk by a multiple of 8 for all ages (NHTSA, 2009). Situational awareness is significantly decreased while engaging in distracted driving, and in turn inattention blindness is increased drastically creating a potentially deadly situation on the roads. A driver who is multitasking has less brain function available and thus literally fails to see or pay attention to things that are squarely in the field of vision (Texting and Driving, 2010). On the other hand there are those that may be able to multitask successfully though the challenge is
People do not focus on the road they are more interested whatś on the phone than on the road. when you are on the road and you hear your phone ding you want to go and grab it and when you head towards your phone your eyes are off the road and you can not see where you are going and it puts you off. It is like you are walking a straight line and you are on the phone while doing that and you are not focused on the line and you are way off. Mathew Walberg proved that cell phones and driving is as hazardous as we think it is and he proved by with his story called ¨ cell phones and driving as dangerous as we think¨ he wrote ¨ that researchers tracked the number of accident reports that listed cellphone use as a factor during two-year periods before and after the 2008 passage of a statewide ban on handheld
A common issue that teens mostly face is being on their cell phones and driving. Cell phones have become popular in 1997 that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had done a research to see whether or not the use of cell phones would be a distraction when driving. In addition, there are two types of cell phone use that have an effect on teen’s behavior that typically leads to unsafe driving. First, when teenagers or adults drive, what cause them to be in unsafe driving conditions is by handling their phone: text messaging, answering the call, dialing a number, and etc. Second, it would be when a conversation is introduced to the environment. Do you think having thoughts about handling your cell phone would be a more dangerous activity than your conversation?
Texting while driving has developed into a growing danger amongst many drivers. Driving requires full attention at all times; moreover, texting impairs the drivers’ abilities, causing his or her reaction time to decrease dramatically. When his or her full attention is on the phone rather than on the road, the driver is unable to witness the traffic; therefore, causing a collision due to lack of focus. When both hands are on the phone texting, the driver easily loses control of the vehicle because of his or her inability to concentrate on the road. Improper driving is an unnecessary risk to